Humility in the Martial Arts.

I have seen many posters here deride the concept of humility being a valuable asset of a martial artist.

But i think that humility has a lot of value in martial arts and even in all skills one must learn from others.

First off, as they say in my zen lineage, humility allows you to have Shoshin or "Beginners Mind". While i am not saying that in and of itself, Shoshin makes you good at anything, i am trying to say that Shoshin allows one to learn more easily and more completely by not allowing preconceptions and/or "delusions of grandeur" to impede the knowledge one can gain from the people around them, teachers and students.

Someone who thinks they know more than everyone only inhibits the rate at which they can increase their knowledge.

And secondly, i believe humility is important in the martial arts, as in all other things, b/c it allows one to measure one's abilities in a more realistic light.

In summation, i would say that humility can make someone a better martial artist by increasing the rate at which they can learn.

The issue is it shouldn't be different in martial arts than it is in the rest of your life. It's like the concept of "sportsmanship". You shouldn't magically praise not acting like a **** in specific activities. **** is universal.

The issue is it shouldn't be different in martial arts than it is in the rest of your life. It's like the concept of "sportsmanship". You shouldn't magically praise not acting like a **** in specific activities. **** is universal.

it is exactly the same in martial arts as it is in life. Shoshin allows you to learn faster in any skill or ability.

Humility is important when training (because you need to constantly accept the fact that you're not perfect and require improvement). The moment you think you're "good enough" or "done", you start the slip towards apathy and lost gains, and the truth is nobody who gets to a certain plateau stays there by stopping.

Humility in martial arts? If you're talking about a show of respect to Jigoro Kano before training, that's important, respecting the ancestors and patriarchs of the art and all that.

Humility as a behavior in a serious fight/conflict, though? That just seems like a form of mental or physical surrender, and thus counterproductive to what the application of martial arts implies (attack/defense).

that is generally an indicator that the bragging martial artist missed the entire point..

ZOOOOOM!
*edit*

Originally Posted by Narimasu773

it is exactly the same in martial arts as it is in life. Shoshin allows you to learn faster in any skill or ability.

You mean like you?

“I don't mean to sound bitter, cold, or cruel, but I am, so that's how it comes out.”
BILL HICKS,
1961-1994

Originally Posted by Jean Paula-Satire

Never believe that the GOP and fellow bigots are completely unaware of the absurdity of their replies. They know that their remarks are frivolous, open to challenge. But they are amusing themselves, for it is their adversary who is obliged to use words responsibly, since he believes in words. The bigots and Republicans have the right to play. They even like to play with discourse for, by giving ridiculous reasons, they discredit the seriousness of their interlocutors. They delight in acting in bad faith, since they seek not to persuade by sound argument but to intimidate and disconcert. If you press them too closely, they will abruptly fall silent, loftily indicating by some phrase that the time for argument is past and that besides, they have already won

I have seen many posters here deride the concept of humility being a valuable asset of a martial artist.

Who?

First off, as they say in my zen lineage, humility allows you to have Shoshin or "Beginners Mind". While i am not saying that in and of itself, Shoshin makes you good at anything, i am trying to say that Shoshin allows one to learn more easily and more completely by not allowing preconceptions and/or "delusions of grandeur" to impede the knowledge one can gain from the people around them, teachers and students.

So people should go into training with the attitude that they should learn things?

I am not defending, advocating or attesting to my own personal ability or mindset.

I am merely defending and advocating the concept of Beginner's Mind as an enabler of learning, and the value of humility in MA and life.

...Which is so much better than the people's mind sets which this thread is directed?

cannot the merits of a concept be discussed independently of the merits/lack thereof of the people discussing the concept?

Not when you are discussing concrete things like martial arts.
A white belts understanding of the standard armbar from mount is completely different from say ... Rayce's or BKR's understanding.

One's experience matters and more importantly not everyone learns the same way despite your baseless and ego driven claims of superior learning methods.

Spoiler:

Originally Posted by Narimasu773

it is exactly the same in martial arts as it is in life. Shoshin allows you to learn faster in any skill or ability.

“I don't mean to sound bitter, cold, or cruel, but I am, so that's how it comes out.”
BILL HICKS,
1961-1994

Originally Posted by Jean Paula-Satire

Never believe that the GOP and fellow bigots are completely unaware of the absurdity of their replies. They know that their remarks are frivolous, open to challenge. But they are amusing themselves, for it is their adversary who is obliged to use words responsibly, since he believes in words. The bigots and Republicans have the right to play. They even like to play with discourse for, by giving ridiculous reasons, they discredit the seriousness of their interlocutors. They delight in acting in bad faith, since they seek not to persuade by sound argument but to intimidate and disconcert. If you press them too closely, they will abruptly fall silent, loftily indicating by some phrase that the time for argument is past and that besides, they have already won